Canadian mainstream and funderground metal blog Hellbound.ca responded to MetalSucks‘ The MetalSucks Manifesto by publishing their own “The Wild Beast Manifesto” about how metal should not be neutered according to political correctness despite any single persons chosen political opinions.
Metal shouldn’t be safe. It should be a wild, primal beast. I might not always agree with the content, but I’m glad that metal exists as a format for boundless, extreme expression. I’m inspired by the left-leaning, charged political nature driving a band like Napalm Death. Their music has raged alongside many of my beliefs, many of which seem to be in line with the folks at Metalsucks.
But what if one doesn’t toe the line with Metalsucks’ perspective entirely or with regard to a particular contemporary issue? Is metal about championing a collective position where we all rally around a specific outlook, or is it about individuality? Of course there’s oftentimes a sense of unity revolving around some shared values and experiences. But is everyone required to subscribe to a set of homogenous ideals? Is groupthink metal? I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s very metal at all.
Tags: canada, censorship, communists, hellbound.ca, metalgate, MetalSucks
Metal is an open arena. If your values are strong, make good music inspired by them.
If you can only complain that the best music is inspired by racists and fascists, then that reflects poorly on your values, as they are clearly less powerful than racism and fascism.
If they are good, they can inspire powerful music to compete with racism and fascism.
Napalm Death is the only band I’ve seen live twice in my life so far[*]. Apart from that: Bah.
The Vikings made an attempt to establish themselves in America in the middle ages. ‘Skraelings’ aka ‘cowards’ was a term they used for the natives because of their habit of shooting arrows at people without warning from behind trees.
[*] Except Eric Clapton. But these were “you must be seated or else … !” events and don’t count.
Metal is about freedom from Christ, which is no true freedom at all. Turn yourselves over to the light heathens.